The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting animals. Particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting laboratory animals such as rodents.
It may be desirable to transport laboratory animals between various laboratory facilities. Many times, it is desirable to transport the laboratory animals in a sterile environment. Some known apparatuses for transporting laboratory animals are formed from sterile cardboard. These cardboard apparatuses generally cannot withstand a second sterilization process and thus, cannot be reused. An apparatus for transporting laboratory animals that may be reused is desirable. Such apparatus must be durable enough to withstand periodic sterilization.
Furthermore, the various laboratory facilities between which the laboratory animals are transported may be located in different nations. Thus, the apparatus housing the laboratory animals may be inspected when passing through customs of the different nations. Such inspection generally includes the interior of the apparatus. Contact between customs officials and the laboratory animals may not be desirable. Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus that allows inspection of the interior without opening of the apparatus.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting laboratory animals. The apparatus comprises a container, a cover piece, and a closure piece. The container defines a cavity for housing at least one laboratory animal. The container has an open top. The cover piece is connectable with the container for closing the open top of the container. The cover piece has a passage through which the at least one laboratory animal passes during insertion into and extraction from the cavity. The closure piece is associated with the cover piece and includes a portion that is rotatable relative to the cover piece between a first position in which the portion of the closure piece closes the passage in the cover piece to retain the at least one laboratory animal within the cavity and a second position in which the passage in the cover piece is open to permit the insertion and extraction of the at least one laboratory animal through the passage. The closure piece also includes a plurality of air passages that permit airflow into and out of the cavity. Filter material covers the air passages for preventing contaminants from entering the cavity.
In a second aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting laboratory animals. The apparatus comprises a container that defines a cavity for housing at least one laboratory animal. The container has a bottom wall, at least one side wall, and an open top. The at least one side wall includes a plurality of air passages that permit airflow into and out of the cavity. Filter material covers the air passages for preventing contaminants from entering the cavity. The apparatus also comprises structure for closing the open top of the container for retaining the at least one laboratory animal in the cavity. The structure includes a first mating protrusion that extends outwardly in a first direction from the structure. The first mating protrusion is constructed for engaging a corresponding mating projection of an adjacent apparatus so as to prevent movement of the apparatus relative to the adjacent apparatus in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.